Sunrise at Alexandra Palace

Our first filming location vlog of the year. In this quick and spontaneous group vlog we're just discussing our sunrise shots and how we thought we'd missed it, only for it to be hiding behind a huge tree, blaming our tiredness for that one, but thankfully we got the shots just in time.
Filming this morning was definitely very productive and has put us all in the right frame of mind to continue and hopefully start making real progress with our music video. Despite still feeling cold and extremely tired from our 5am start it was definitely worth it!
And even better the weather this morning was absolutely perfect with a clear blue sky and crisp cold weather which meant we could get particular good shots! For once, our group stuck to our plans, with no storms or forgetfulness of equipment in the way!

Just Our Luck...

As we have previously blogged about, the Monday of half term i.e tomorrow was our first scheduled filming day. Unfortunately somehow we have managed to choose the day that the strongest storm for years is UK bound. We are therefore forced to cancel our filiming plans for tomorrow due to the cancellation of the trains, of which we planned to use in order to get up to Alexandra Palace.  As well as the transport issue, we didn't think the weather conditions of extremely strong winds and possible rain be the best conditions to film in, nor it be the best lighting and possible Mary Poppins moments.




Hopefully we're able to get out and film on Wednesday, however this'll have to be weather depending. Currently we're definitely hopeful that the storm would of passed as I think we're all a little worried at the thought of having filmed nothing over the half term, a situation we definitely do not want to find ourselves in! Wednesday's forecast is bright so hopefully its a successful productive filming day!

Lip Syncing

In today's lesson Sinead suggested we practiced lip syncing. We're currently debating whether or not to include a lip sync within our music video, however if we were too, the lyrics in this short clip would be the part of the song we would choose to 'sing'.
This practice was definitely important as we discovered the difference between lip syncing and singing and how it definitely creates a different effect. Towards the end of filming we began to sing the song rather than mime it as the movement of your mouth is definitely more realistic looking.
As well as practicing our lip syncing, we've also managed to edit ourselves into a four way split screen, something that we're also thinking about including in our video, perhaps even have it be this scene if we do choose to include lip syncing. I definitely feel this was a very productive task as it's allowed to envision a possible scene for our music video.

Clearly this practice was definitely needed.. Here's a little snippet of outtakes..

Video Inspiration

When talking the other day about existing music videos that are of a similar look of what we hope to achieve, Rachel suggested Lana Del Rey's 'Video Games'. With its 90's colour scheme as well the almost speckled poor-quality-esque look, this music video definitely has a retro feel, which is an element we'd like to incorporate in our music video. Currently we're discussing our outfit choices for when we film on Monday, rather than wearing jeans and a t-shirt we do want to add some kind of thought and structure behind it. We plan for our outfits to have the same sort of theme, however no one of this colour coding we so often see, rather more perhaps a 90's high waisted jeans shorts kind of look...watch this space.

It seems Lana Del Rey is a fan of the retro 90's feel to her music videos, with 'Summertime Sadness' also having this same look. As well as this, this video begins at sunrise, which is something we plan to do, hence Mondays early filming start.

Final Cut Pro

Our group has decided to potentially take on the challenge of using Final Cut Pro for the editing of our music video.
We've decided to do this in order to gain the highest possible quality of footage and sharp editing of the shots. Although Final Cut Pro definitely doesn't look very friendly, we feel that we quickly managed to grasp iMovie software last year, therefore we plan to challenge ourselves using this.
This is just a quick tutorial we found when we were debating whether to use the software, although scared we shall plough through and attempt it!
Seen as we want to use Final Cut Pro we all agree that we need to get our filming complete in order to focus on the challenging but rewarding editing process.

Filming Schedule

It's half term next week and as a group we've been planning to film on the first Monday, the 28th for a while now. The plan is to get up and out early, practically crack of dawn early, which will most certainly be a struggle. Once hopefully all up, we'll head to Alexandra Palace and begin looking into potential shots and how it will be best to film the four of us. The greatest outcome would be that we'd manage to film the bulk of all our filming on Monday, however reality forces us to realise this may be highly unrealistic, however we live in hope.
Further than this we haven't decided as a group whether the weather conditions of the day will stop us filming or in fact we will just film in the rain, although we'll have to consider the look of this.
Let's just hope we're all up in time to get out there!

Group vlog

Another group vlog just discussing;
- Storyboarding woes
- When we plan to film
- Possible shots we'd like to include
- Keeping it simple

Video Inspiration

This student music video has most definitely shown us how simplicity is key. This has been something we have continually said as a group, we often say how we do not want to over complicate our plot, but often we face the challenge of finding a balance of being prepared, hence storyboarding and not wanting to over complicate and plan every movement. However currently we're writing down and recording definite shots we want to include and locations, we will soon have to begin filling in the gaps.
Not only is this video immaculately shot, but we are told that amazingly it was shot in just a single day, making it even more of an inspiration to us.

HAIM

It definitely feels as though our decision to suddenly change our song was decided and posted within minutes, without having really researched further into the band itself. With this, we thought it interesting to investigate further into the band, in order to gather a real taste of who the girls are and what their music may represent. 

The band is formed of three American sisters; Este Haim, Danielle Haim and Alana Haim who's music falls into the Indie- Pop and Folk -Rock genre. The genre of the music allows us to experiment with numerous angles within our music video, as the different sounds within the song perhaps allow us more creative freedom, where the band do not just produce a music sound that falls into just one particular genre. Furthermore having already explored male avenues for our chosen song, the fact that the band is all female was perhaps the deciding vote, since it had come apparent of the difficulties that choosing a male song may cause. 

HAIM was formed in 2006 after leaving 'Rockinhaim' - a band created by the girls parents, since HAIM's release of their album EP in Februaury last year, the bands popularity has grown significantly and it was with this that the band were signed to Polydor Records. 

The bands fan base is widely teenagers/ young adults this is perhaps due to the casual and laid back style that the girls have, which appeals to teenagers. Their indie vibe is projected through both their music and image.

HAIM's influences include 90s groups TLC and Destiny's Child, as well more modern artists like Kendrick Lamar and Jessie Ware. Consequently HAIM's music sounds folk-rock with R&B/hip hop sounds thrown in, making their music both original and ultimately exciting to work with. 

Split Screen and Effects

The idea of using split screen very much appeals to our group. Particularly due to the indie rock genre of our song, we feel that the use of split screens and effects such as kaleidoscopes, would blend really well with the sound of the song. Furthermore spilt screens create the atmosphere that we want to achieve, such as quick transitions and a variety of locations contrasted against one another in the split screens.
When researching into the use of split screens, I found Mumford & Sons - 'Whispers in the dark' really interesting, as they used a four way split screen, rather than the usual use of a screen split in two. Personally, at some point in our music video I'd really like to include a four way split screen, particularly as there are four of us, therefore perhaps include each person within their own 'split' or perhaps use the different locations within the splits, just as its seen in Mumford and Sons





Crystal Fighters 'LA Calling' is definitely a music video that as a group we we will constantly refer to, due to the upbeat indie style of the video, as well as the kaleidoscope use which makes this a definite inspiration piece, furthermore the colour use is definitely the palette we hope to achieve

HAIM

Since we have changed our song (again) thought it best to post the lyrics of what hopefully is our FINAL song choice.
Here's the lyrics to our new and improved music video song... HAIM 'Falling'

I hurl into the moment like I'm standing at the edge (I know)
That no one's gonna turn me 'round
Just one more step, I could let go
Oh and in the middle,
I hear the voices and they're calling for me now (I know)
And nothing's gonna wake me now
Cause I'm a slave to the sound

And they're calling,
Don't stop, no, I'll never give up
And I'll never look back, just hold your head up
And if it gets rough, it's time to get rough
They keep saying
Don't stop, no one's ever enough
I'll never look back, never give up
And if it gets rough, it's time to get rough
But now I'm falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling,
Falling, falling, falling, falling, oh

Now we're going down,
And I can feel the eyes are watching us so closely oh
I'm trying not to make a sound
Cause I'll be found out somehow

So keep calling,
Don't stop, no, I'll never give up
And I'll never look back, just hold your head up
And if it gets rough, it's time to get rough
They keep saying
Don't stop, no one's ever enough
I'll never look back, never give up
And if it gets rough, it's time to get rough
But now I'm falling

Into the fire feeling higher than the truth
(I'm falling)
I can feel the heat but I'm not burning
(But now I'm falling)
Feeling desire, feeling tired, hungry too
(I'm falling)
Feels like I'm falling, yeah
I can hear them calling
(I'm falling)

Into the fire feeling higher than the truth
(I'm falling)
I can feel the heat but I'm not burning
(But now I'm falling)
Feeling desire, feeling tired, hungry too
(I'm falling)
Feels like I'm falling, yeah
I can hear them calling
(Now I'm falling)

Falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling,
Falling, Falling, falling, oh
Oh and now I'm falling

Falling, falling, falling
Falling, falling, falling,
Falling, falling, falling, oh

Falling, falling, falling, falling
Fall yeah
And now I'm falling
Falling, falling, falling, falling
Fall yeah
And now I'm falling

Into the fire feeling higher than the truth
(But now I'm falling)
I can feel the heat but I'm not burning
(I'm falling)
Feeling desire, feeling tired, hungry too
(But now I'm falling)
Feels like I'm falling, yeah
I can hear them calling for me
(I'm falling)

Into the fire feeling higher than the truth
(Now I'm falling)
I can feel the heat but I'm not burning
(I'm falling)
Feeling desire, feeling tired, hungry too
(Now I'm falling)
It feels like I'm falling, yeah
I can hear them calling for me

Never look back, never give up
Never look back, never give up
Never look back, never give up
I'll never give up
I'll never give up
[6x]

Group Vlog

- Changing our song choice
- Being simplistic

Beginnings of a mood board

Inspiration

Although this song is completely irrelevant and a male artist, the simplicity of the music video stuck out to me and its this sense of simplicity of concept that I hope we can convey in our music video. This music video demonstrates how sometimes the best videos can come from a simple concept, where in this video the audience are simply following James Blunt. Furthermore it is this sort of weather conditions that we'd love to be able to centre our music video around, however the reality of that is becoming more and more difficult due to now being in autumn. However either way, this video most definitely gives me inspiration and also reminds me to perhaps not think too in-depth about the concept, but instead aim to come up with a simple concept that presents the music in the best way.

Request for record label permission

In order to ensure the use of our chosen song does not get us into trouble, it is important that we contact the record label in order to make them aware that the use of the song is solely for educational purposes. We therefore wrote this email to the record label company requesting permission for the use of the song, although we do not expect a reply, it is important that we make them aware of what we are planning to do.